The Saga of the Band of Seven
by Funderwall
Summary: This story takes place before they died the first time. It is the origin story of how the Band of Seven was created.
1. Enter Renkotsu

The room was dark. Matchlock guns were lined up on a rack in the corner of the room. A man picked up one of the guns and inspected it. Satisfied he took it over to a furnace and tossed it in. The fire roared and the gun burned until the wood was gone and the metal was glowing red. The metal soon melted and the man released some valves on the furnace and molten metal poured out the vents in a large vat. He opened another valve and water came down onto the vat. A cloud of steam rose as the metal cooled. The man smiled. It was finally done. He had forged his very own weapon: a hand cannon.

* * *

Sunlight spread across the valley unhindered. A slight breeze caused the grass to sway. Bankotsu sat on the grass, eyes closed. Jakotsu sat next to him idly picking grass. He gave a big sigh.

"What's with you?" asked Bankotsu

"I am tired of sitting around. When're we going to do some work?"

Bankotsu chuckled at his friend's eagerness. "Jakotsu, I told you we have to gather some other companions first."

Jakotsu scratched his head in thought. "Where're going to find anyone?"

"Easy. Just follow the smoke."

"Smoke?"

Bankotsu pointed to a spot on the horizon. "Right there. Don't tell me you didn't see it?"

As much as he strained his eyes Jakotsu could not see anything. "I see nothing."

"Ah, you're eyes are to weak." Bankotsu sat up and grabbed Banryu, his large halberd. "Come on, let's go see what it's all about."

Jakotsu smiled. "Finally, I get to see some action."

Bankotsu and Jakotsu headed off.

* * *

KABOOOM! A hut exploded as it was hit. Villagers scattered everywhere. A man stepped out from the smoke. He had mounted on his shoulder a small cannon. An evil grin spread across his face.

"Haha! You can't run forever."

He clicked the trigger and a cannonball shot out and struck the ground. It exploded on impact and sent several villagers flying in the air. The assailant stood over a cowering man.

The man begged for his life. "Please sir, spare me! Why do you attack our village?"

"I wanted to test out my new weapon. Like it?"

The cannon was pointed at the village man. He was scared stiff. He couldn't say anything. The gunner was about to pull the trigger when Bankotsu stepped in.

"Hey, what's going on here?"

The gunner pointed the cannon at his new foe. "Get out of my way."

Bankotsu smiled and readied his Banryu. "Make me."

The gunner immediately shot off the cannon. Bankotsu stepped nimbly aside. He raised Banryu and swung down hard. The gunner dodged it. Both opponents smiled. This was going to be fun. Bankotsu made another move in but the gunner unleashed a barrage of cannonballs. One cannonball hit Banryu as Bankotsu used it for a shield. He leaped in the air and came down on his opponent. The gunner pulled out a gourd and poured the contents in his mouth. He held if there for a bit, waiting until Bankotsu was closer.

Bankotsu screamed "This is where you die!"

Before Bankotsu could swing his halberd and a streak of fire shot out and engulfed him. Bankotsu fell to the ground.

The gunner put the gourd away. "That's my line."

Jakotsu ran up to his friend and shook the fire out. "Bankotsu, are you okay?"

Bankotsu used his halberd to stand himself up. "Damn, what was that?"

The gunner replied, "A special liquid I made myself. It's just a little trick I keep for punks like you."

Bankotsu laughed to himself. He had been too careless. "What's your name?"

The gunner paused before replying, "...Renkotsu."

* * *

Yay! My first fan-fic. Any reviews/critiques would be greatly appreciated.


	2. Mutual Bond  Part 1

Chapter 2: Mutual Bond - Part 1

Once again, Jakotsu was seated on the ground picking grass. He looked over his should, saw nothing, and sighed heavily. "Oh, that Bankotsu. Why didn't he let me come with him?"

He laid down and looked at the clear sky. There was hardly a cloud to block out the light of the sun. Jakotsu closed his eyes and dozed off. He was soon wakened by Bankotsu.

"Jakotsu, get up. We have to go."

Jakotsu sat up and rubbed his eyes, still half asleep. "Bankotsu, you're back already?" He looked around expecting to see someone else, but it was only Bankotsu. "Huh? I thought you were going to get someone. Where is he?"

Bankotsu shouldered his halberd as he answered. "I found a man by the name of Ginkotsu. He was strong, but he refused to come."

"So, did you kill him?"

"Nah, I didn't want to waste my time with him," answered Bankotsu.

Jakotsu looked puzzled. This was the second time Bankotsu has let someone get away. he was going to press further but noticed his friend was already walking away. "Bankotsu?"

Bankotsu replied, "come on. We have far to travel."

Jakotsu ran to catch up with Bankotsu. He was starting to think if this was such a good idea after all, to tag along with someone who seemed to be getting nowhere.

***with Ginkotsu***

Ginkotsu was a large, muscular man with flaming, red hair. His fists were the size of a man and he brought them down with great force, causing the earth to shatter beneath. A small hut stood at the bottom of the hill. Two little children were playing outside while their mother cooked over a fire. Ginkotsu smiled. The giant picked up a nearby boulder and hurled it at the hut below. The family saw it coming too late. The hut collapsed under the boulder and the family were crushed. Ginkotsu let out an evil laugh. He enjoyed killing others, there was nothing better. He set off to terrorize other villages.

***with Reknotsu**

Renkotsu was at his workshop again. The furnace was roaring and he was looking over some blueprints. This project had been his brainchild for sometime. He wanted to make a mechanized suit of armor. With that he would be practically invincible. Suddenly, he heard an explosion from above. Curious, Renkotsu went up to see what was going on. There was a village nearby and he could see smoke rising up from it. Gunfire? he thought. Suddenly, there was another explosion. Renkotsu could see wood and debris fly through the air. He looked up and saw a large beam falling towards him and he narrowly escaped. Reknotsu went back in the cave and shortly emerged carrying his hand cannon, and he took off for the village.

***with Ginkotsu***

Back at the village, Ginkotsu was destroying huts and villagers. He brought down his hands and caused the earth to shake. The force sent huts flying in pieces. Dead villagers littered the ground. Ginkotsu laughed. His work was done. He turned to leave but found his way blocked by a regiment of samurai. The leader stepped forward and pointed his sword at the giant.

"Your killing ends here, Ginkotsu," the samurai said. "We have you surrounded."

Ginkotsu laughed, "You certainly don't think that you can defeat me?" He brought up his hands, about to strike the ground.

The leader yelled, "Don't let him strike!"

Immiediately, shots were fired and Ginkotsu was struck. He fell to the ground, stunned. A row of samurai were kneeling on the ground. Each had a musket. The leader smirked.

"Next row!" the leader barked.

The front row fell behind and another row of gunmen stepped forward, muskets at the ready. Ginkotsu tried to lift himself, but he collapsed to the ground again. The samurai leader stooped over the giant.

"Today is the day Ginkotsu the mighty giant meets his end," he said mockingly.

Just then, a cannon was fired and the soldiers were hit. The leader whisked around to see Renkotsu. He had fired his cannon.

"Who are you?" the samurai asked.

Renkotsu didn't answer. He fired off another shot and sent the leader flying into the woods. A soldier picked himself up off the ground with much difficulty. He put his hand on a box and lifted up a handle. Reknotsu saw movement out of the corner of his eye and saw the soldier. He was going to shoot, but the man pushed the handle down. Reknotsu knew what happened. He jumped out of the way just in time to miss a huge explosion. 


	3. Mutual Bond Part 2

Chapter 3: Mutual Bond - Part 1

Once again, Jakotsu was seated on the ground picking grass. He looked over his should, saw nothing, and sighed heavily. "Oh, that Bankotsu. Why didn't he let me come with him?"

He laid down and looked at the clear sky. There was hardly a cloud to block out the light of the sun. Jakotsu closed his eyes and dozed off. He was soon wakened by Bankotsu.

"Jakotsu, get up. We have to go."

Jakotsu sat up and rubbed his eyes, still half asleep. "Bankotsu, you're back already?" He looked around expecting to see someone else, but it was only Bankotsu. "Huh? I thought you were going to get someone. Where is he?"

Bankotsu shouldered his halberd as he answered. "I found a man by the name of Ginkotsu. He was strong, but he refused to come."

"So, did you kill him?"

"Nah, I didn't want to waste my time with him," answered Bankotsu.

Jakotsu looked puzzled. This was the second time Bankotsu has let someone get away. he was going to press further but noticed his friend was already walking away. "Bankotsu?"

Bankotsu replied, "come on. We have far to travel."

Jakotsu ran to catch up with Bankotsu. He was starting to think if this was such a good idea after all, to tag along with someone who seemed to be getting nowhere.

* * *

Ginkotsu was a large, muscular man with flaming, red hair. His fists were the size of a man and he brought them down with great force, causing the earth to shatter beneath. A small hut stood at the bottom of the hill. Two little children were playing outside while their mother cooked over a fire. Ginkotsu smiled. The giant picked up a nearby boulder and hurled it at the hut below. The family saw it coming too late. The hut collapsed under the boulder and the family were crushed. Ginkotsu let out an evil laugh. He enjoyed killing others, there was nothing better. He set off to terrorize other villages.

* * *

Renkotsu was at his workshop again. The furnace was roaring and he was looking over some blueprints. This project had been his brainchild for sometime. He wanted to make a mechanized suit of armor. With that he would be practically invincible. Suddenly, he heard an explosion from above. Curious, Renkotsu went up to see what was going on. There was a village nearby and he could see smoke rising up from it. Gunfire? he thought. Suddenly, there was another explosion. Renkotsu could see wood and debris fly through the air. He looked up and saw a large beam falling towards him and he narrowly escaped. Reknotsu went back in the cave and shortly emerged carrying his hand cannon, and he took off for the village.

* * *

Back at the village, Ginkotsu was destroying huts and villagers. He brought down his hands and caused the earth to shake. The force sent huts flying in pieces. Dead villagers littered the ground. Ginkotsu laughed. His work was done. He turned to leave but found his way blocked by a regiment of samurai. The leader stepped forward and pointed his sword at the giant.

"Your killing ends here, Ginkotsu," the samurai said. "We have you surrounded."

Ginkotsu laughed, "You certainly don't think that you can defeat me?" He brought up his hands, about to strike the ground.

The leader yelled, "Don't let him strike!"

Immiediately, shots were fired and Ginkotsu was struck. He fell to the ground, stunned. A row of samurai were kneeling on the ground. Each had a musket. The leader smirked.

"Next row!" the leader barked.

The front row fell behind and another row of gunmen stepped forward, muskets at the ready. Ginkotsu tried to lift himself, but he collapsed to the ground again. The samurai leader stooped over the giant.

"Today is the day Ginkotsu the mighty giant meets his end," he said mockingly.

Just then, a cannon was fired and the soldiers were hit. The leader whisked around to see Renkotsu. He had fired his cannon.

"Who are you?" the samurai asked.

Renkotsu didn't answer. He fired off another shot and sent the leader flying into the woods. A nearby soldier picked himself up off the ground with much difficulty. He put his hand on a box and lifted up a handle. Reknotsu saw movement out of the corner of his eye and saw the soldier. He was going to shoot, but the man pushed the handle down. Reknotsu knew what happened. He jumped out of the way just in time to miss a huge explosion. The smoke cleared and there were bodies strewn all across the field. In the middle of the field was Ginkotsu, his body half blown off. at this point he was barely alive. Renkotsu cast aside his cannon and rushed over to Ginkotsu.

"Ginkotsu!"

The giant lifted his head and looked Renkotsu in the eyes. He smiled. "Renkotsu, did not think of meeting you here."

He was about to say more but his head suddenly dropped.


End file.
